Through the eyes of...Jo Q. Name, nickname and tell us briefly about yourself? My connection to the Crystal Castle goes back quite a while. I used to work in one of the Crystal Castle shops in Brisbane, Crystal Living. For reasons of my own I felt it was time to make a move and decided to move to the area. My arrival here was crazy and fast but in less than week I had a cabin and a job here at the Crystal Castle. It was very synchronistic. My hobbies include singing, writing songs, crystals of course and anything creative and magical.

Q. What do you love about working here and how long have you been on the Castle team?I have been working here for over two years and it’s the energy of the Castle, and the land here, it is quite powerful. The beauty, the nature, the women and the staff I work with. Working here expands your awareness and I feel your spiritual growth, understanding and experience is fast tracked. It’s a quickening of information.

Q. What is your favourite dish from the Lotus Cafe?Thai chicken patties and salad. They are yummy!!

Q. Do you have a favourite statue and why?Yes I do, I have several but for now Avalokiteshvara. It’s the space around the statue too; it is very quiet, beautiful and nurturing. There is something very special about this area; the statue is an embodiment of Quan Yin. Lakshmi too, her space is very lush and magical. Also Durga, she is strength and power, she has been described to me as an Earth Angel.

Q. If you could buy anything from the Castle, what would you buy?Well, I would buy all the ‘Big Crystals’.

Q. What's your favourite crystal and why?That’s a tricky one; I have lots of favourites. At the moment I’m working with Larimar, Blue Lace Agate and Aqua Aura. These are what I am drawn to at the moment, however, it always shifts. Blue Lace Agate for communication and the lymph glands. Larimar, it is such a soothing and calming stone and Aqua Aura is absolutely amazing in its intensity and softness. Intuitively I feel these stones are helping me with my singing, as my music is moving forward.

Q. Do you have a special moment or story about a Castle visitor?Well, this moment was pretty amazing, it blew me away. I was working at the Welcome Hut and a mother and daughter came up to me quietly, they were on their way home. They said, ‘we just want to show you this photo. It’s very unusual’. The picture was of the mother and daughter standing in front of Lakshmi. They had another visitor take the photo for them. In the photo over the top of their heads and Lakshmi’s head was this pink light which then turned into purple light. They were between the light and Lakshmi. There was no way we could see how this light could have refracted from anywhere. It was such a special moment. I have since been shown many photos taken by visitors in places along the Buddha walk showing orbs of light.

Q. When did you get your first crystal and what was it?My very first crystal was from a lucky dip when I was a little girl. It was a Koala pendant with a piece of Opal set in its belly. I thought it was so beautiful, all shiny and I still have it.